Aston Martin’s halo car, the Valkyrie, has
been updated with key aerodynamic, styling and interior packaging updates as it
nears production. The hypercar, developed in conjunction with Red Bull Advanced
Technologies and AF Racing, is meant to push the limits of what is possible
with a road-going vehicle.
The changes start at the front of the car –
legendary Formula One chassis designer Adrian Newey discovered that
considerable gains in front downforce were there for the taking, which resulted
in the apertures between the cockpit and the front wheel arches.
The headlights have also been updated with
inspiration from the pure functionality of an F1 car. The low- and high-beam
elements are mounted to an anodised aluminium frame which enables a reduction
of between 30% to 40% compared to the company’s lightest series production
headlights currently available.
Weight reduction on the Valkyrie even extends to the
badges – the traditional winged badge was deemed too heavy, and a sticker not
befitting the car’s quality and cutting edge nature. So in its place is a
chemical-etched aluminium badge measuring just 70 microns thick, 30% thinner
than a human hair; it weighs a whopping 99.4% less than the usual enamel badge.
At the rear of the car, one can spot the redesigned
tail lights, now with Vulcan-style clear blades. A small shark fin has also
sprouted along the centre of the rear bodywork, atop which sits a red LED that
is the world’s smallest third brake light, measuring just 5.5 mm wide and 9.5
mm tall. Finishing off the new look are fairings on the wheels that should make
the car even more slippery through the air.
Aston Martin has also revealed the interior of the
car for the first time, and while it looks plenty cramped, Gaydon claims that
there is enough space for two 95-percentile adults, with a legs-up sitting
position reminiscent of F1 cars and Le Mans prototypes.
The resulting teardrop shape of the cabin fits
within the small space between the massive Venturi tunnels that run underneath
the car. These generate huge amounts of downforce without the need for
additional aerodynamic devices that would ruin the purity of the upper body
surfaces.
The Valkyrie’s cockpit is trimmed in
minimalist race car fashion, with multiple digital displays, including an OLED
screen on the detachable F1-style steering wheel which shows vehicular
information. The pair of smaller displays on either side of the dashboard are
for the side cameras, located within the car’s flanks and taking the place of
conventional side or wing mirrors.
Powertrain details have yet to be confirmed,
though the car is tipped to use a naturally-aspirated 6.5 litre V12 engine with
an electric motor for a total system output of around 1,130 hp; with an expected
weight of 1,030 kg, the resulting power-to-weight ratio should be able to
exceed 1:1. Putting that power to the road will be a clean-sheet transmission
design by Newey and Red Bull Advanced Technologies.
